pen to paper

Steve Wyatt

Alpha Company, PNG, 1984

Photo courtesy of Ant Blumer

Thank you for taking the time to visit the web site.

Let me introduce myself, and the genesis of No Angry Shots. The story has been brewing for a number of years, and generally is recounted in small doses when we catch up with our mates from the Army.

I served between 1980 and 1995, in a number of Infantry units and roles. An Army career through the ranks from Digger to Company Sergeant Major. Serving in Townsville, Singleton and Holsworthy. Which included service in PNG, Germany on Exchange with the British Army, Rifle Company Butterworth, instructing in PNG and Brunei; and my last trip - Hawaii. In Australia we've exercised or trained in every state.

No Angry Shots is obviously my journey in uniform, but the stories embrace the Life of a Digger, introducing mates and characters in the units we served alongside. The emphasis is mostly on unit life in the early 80s. As you can imagine, serving in a barracks block with 500 other soldiers in an area 300m x 200m is significant: the stories and characters 24/7 300 odd days a year.

The stories in the book are all true, obviously there is some license asked, but everything in the book happened in our unit.

For those that served, it is a great reminder of our service life and although battalion centric. has relevance to anyone who served; just as it provides an insight for families or friends wondering what makes service life unique.

It has been great revisiting these stories and remembering our mates we served alongside. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks again, Steve

introduction

The first question, what is No Angry Shots?

It's our journey serving in a peacetime Army. It introduces the Army mission and training directives and gives a background to Units and Soldiering. It is the story of an Army training for War. But that is not the whole story. The story recounts my career, the characters I worked with, the Legends of our Unit and the stories we tell after careers of between 3 or 40 years.

Influences?

I loved David Niven's ability to tell his life story and the funny memories he recalls in detail. From his Army days through to his days on the screen, they are a fantastic read.

Ripping Yarns, written by Michael Palin, a series of bizarre, ludicrous, hilarious tales. Stories like Across the Andes by Frog, the Eric Olthwaite gang, or Tomkinson's Schooldays. Enjoyable the first and tenth time.

Tom Sharpe, whose novels make me howl with laughter. He builds the climax to laugh out loud cresendo as well as anyone.

Why me?

In the words of the great scholar John 'Bluto' Blutarsky from Animal House - Why Not?

Look, someone has to do it. So, if you want to sub me for someone else, please fill your boots - happy for them to take ownership and move forward. Until then, I'll assume it's me.

I want to tell our story and remember our mates, firstly by recounting our version of Training for War; the training, exercises and commitment required to be a professional soldier. But hand in hand with being a professional soldier, is a black humor borne by most soldiers to make light of the frustrations, challenges and the less than glowing aspects of soldiering. It's the Yin and Yang of soldiering. It's how it was, and how we got through tough times.

But in telling those memories, I also want to shine a light on the men and women who served.

The soldiers, characters, legends, and myths we served and trained alongside.